Boss's Day Truth: Being the Boss Sucks.

by Belinda WaggonerOctober 16, 2017

Let’s be honest: Boss’s Day is a strange notion. Supervisors, managers and executives generally make more money and have more autonomy – so why do we have a compulsory holiday to celebrate them? (U.S. News and World Report, among others, has said we shouldn’t celebrate “this crock of a holiday.”)

We don’t recommend mandating gifts or parties, but Boss’s Day is a good time to acknowledge a simple truth: Being the boss can suck.

Take your one-on ones seriously: “If you love your boss, chances are that he or she makes time to meet with you one-on-one. Make the investment worthwhile by coming to the table with a list of things you’d like to discuss . . . using your boss’s time wisely is the best gift you could give them.”

Plan for difficult conversations instead of springing them on your manager: “Choosing a time and place to discuss [challenging issues] is essential.”

Forgive them for being human: “Give them a break . . . We all have bad days.”

Trust them with tough feedback: “If you see the potential holes in a plan, say so . . . prevent your boss from making a mistake that will cost them professionally.”

Say thank you: “If your boss has done an exceptional job . . . tell them so. They’ll appreciate it a lot more than they would a World’s Best Boss mug.”